Nic. Hernandez

Writer sensitive to the unique needs of Internet-specific copy with a focus on a strategic, tonally targeted approach to content.

Casts a wide net and is able to engage readers in a number of areas including: sports and sports memorabilia collecting, cycling culture and bicycle maintenance, gadgets and tech toys, emerging web technologies and trends, modern art and urban fashion, social media, content strategy, time-saving tricks and hints, underground hip-hop (and really any) music, DJ culture and much more.

Dutiful editor with specific experience polishing copy relating to many of the above mentioned specialties.

• Delivered high level customer experiences as the face of Apple retail• Served a number of support roles including teaching workshops, personal setup of new purchases, and maintenance of the store's highly recognizable visual standards

Sept
2010 -
Sept
2012

Host – The Breeding Ground / CBS Radio

• Hosted a weekly radio show on Dallas' Indie-Verse radio station, 100.3 HD3 & indie-verse.com

Jul
2009 -
Sept
2012

Freelance Journalist / Dallas Observer

• Provided insightful coverage on the Dallas music scene for the local alt-weekly• Crafted the paper's weekly local music email newsletter

• Excelled in all areas of store operation (stock, retail, coffee shop)• Made improvements to management and upkeep of multimedia department• Notable achievements include Employee of the Month for June 2004, Employee of the Quarter for the 2Q 2004 on a staff of roughly 40

Nov
2001 -
Oct
2004

PR Manager / Nice People

• Specialized in planning, promotions and marketing of events, mostly hip-hop concerts. Dealt with local as well as touring national acts• Maintained relationship with many of the company's media, artist and agent contacts• Assisted in concert booking and the drawing up of contracts from time to time

Sa 3/24 @ The Grotto :: Dru B Shinin’ is set to release his latest project, All American, and the album release show is this weekend at Ft. Worth’s The Grotto. Also on the bill are The Skeeves, Big Clif and Anetix. The digital copy of All American will drop HERE. In the mean time, peep this video from the project.

Tu 3/6 @ The Aardvark in Ft. Worth :: Jesse Porter and his Cool Beings movement take a trip over to Ft. Worth tonight to host an edition of the famed 16 Bars and a Drumbeat open mic. You wanna get on? Go get heard here.

W 3/7 @ Rubber Gloves :: Yeahdef's weekly event, Me Gusta, will be the site of The Unofficial 35 Denton Pre-Party. The lineup looks delicious, with the Brain Gang getting top billing. Also playing will be Milli Mars, AV the Great, JLD, HyperUppercut, Shooknite and Big J.

Sa 3/3 @ Cedars Community Center :: Loose Cannons are doing their album release party this weekend for “Doin’ It To Def.” Dallas hip-hop legend EZ Eddie D will man the turntables for this event, which will also include David Chris, Mr. Lez and Sky Johnson.

Th 3/1 @ Hard Rock Cafe :: Human Resources have made it to the 2nd round of the Hard Rock Rising global battle of the bands. If they win this, they have the chance to represent D/FW at the regional battle.

Local rap duo A.Dd+ and their DJ Sober have enjoyed one of the most eventful years of any Dallas area act and last Friday night they said goodbye to their loyal local fans as they prepare to hit the road on a US tour over the next month or so. With momentum on a steady increase since last year’s release of When Pigs Fly, A.Dd+ proved that night that they have developed the swagger and polish to get up in front of a crowd in any market.

From following A.Dd+ for the last two or so years, it’s been exciting to track their progress, both in skill and confidence. They are indeed ready for prime time and the pair of Slim Gravy and Paris Pershun carry themselves like the stars that they are. From the first notes of the opening song “Brain Sex” it was clear that this would be another of A.Dd+’s near flawless sets. Both rappers sounded crystal clear over Dada’s sound system, which amplified just how good each of these guys is on the mic. Paris evokes a smooth and solid image when he spits, the group’s anchor. Slim on the other hand, takes a different approach to his own lyrical virtuosity and acts as the group’s live wire with antics like donning a pair of LED glasses for half of the set. Friday night Both possess the prowess to be considered true professionals, a fact that will surely bear fruit when they begin the Claps and Slaps Tour opening for Detroit rapper/producer Black Milk this Friday at Brooklyn’s The Knitting Factory.

These guys may just be famous by the time that they roll back to the Big D.

Set highlights included the Black Milk-produced “Insomniac Dreaming,” the ode to stoner woes and recent crowd fave “Can’t Come Down” and the live debut of their latest song “Sh*t Got Crazy.” The customary onslaught of local rappers that hit the stage when A.Dd+ plays “Likeamug” was just as intense as ever. The Dada audience was whipped into a frenzy, with chants of “ADDHOE” breaking out twice during their 45-minute set.

A.Dd+ aren’t the only ones whose live show has experienced some polish. Dallas Observer Music Awards winners The Mohicans made the trip from college in Lubbock to open and performed with a level of virtuosity that we haven’t yet seen from them. And with one of the duo, Devan Bernard aka Kashus Klay, graduating this year, we’re excited at the prospect of this talented group taking aim at music full-time.

galleryCat also presented the audience with a solid set with the backing of his customary band. And although he was obviously hobbled by illness, galleryCat delivered a rousing and energetic 40+ minutes of energy, with the flashes of sickness only obvious as he wound down between songs. The emotional ode to the music he loves “Hip Hop, Save Me” and the upbeat “Say Say Say” were the crowd favorites, and they thanked him for devoting his energy the way he did even though he was clearly way under the weather.

The city of Dallas is obviously proud of A.Dd+ and those at Dada were buzzing at the prospect of what the next month holds for them. They seemed poised for a takeover. Towards the end of their set, Paris casually announced “we’re getting ready to go on our first national tour,” like that some rite of passage that all rappers must do. We all know that the terms “rap group” and “national tour” do not necessarily go hand in hand, but A.Dd+ is out to prove that things are indeed changing.

Critics notebook

Personal bias: I may or may not be an A.Dd+ groupie. When people showed up to the venue with the kind of homemade signs that you’d see at an NBA game, I must admit that I was jealous that I didn’t do anything so public to show my support before they left town. So here’s a show review.

Random note: Fans of A.Dd+ or their live show should know by now that “Likeamug” has become a bit of a local hip-hop anthem, always rousing the crowd to a frenzy and always including a stage party with guest rappers joining in the fun. Wonder if the song will be as much of a live show staple when they hit the road.

By the way: The first performer of the night, Quez, is someone who I know very little about, but he put on a solid performance. Didn’t see him after his set, but would like to learn more about him. Hit me up @enoch11 if you have any insight.

Tu 2/28 @ 2826 Arnetic :: Come out to Arnetic for this month’s hip-hop open mic. The winner of this battle will go up against the first Thursday rap battle winner, V.i.P. Amazing, on Dallas radio station 97.9 The Beat. Why is V.i.P. amazing? Oh, he only holds the Guinness World Record for longest freestyle at 12 hours. Rappers, you KNOW you want a chance to go at this guy. See you Tuesday.

F 2/24 @ Dada :: A.Dd+ play their last local show before setting off on US tour supporting Black Milk. Check the details of the tour here. Also on the bill are galleryCat and 2011 Dallas Observer Music Awards Best Hip-Hop winners The Mohicans.